Wireless services, such as cellular or mobile phone services, typically include voice services, Short Message Service (“SMS”) services, and data services. A wireless service provider typically bundles a particular number of voice minutes, a particular number of SMS messages, and an amount of data transfer for a prepaid or postpaid monthly wireless plan. A subscriber may purchase a bundle appropriate for his/her usage. When the subscriber places or receives a call, sends or receives an SMS message, and/or uploads or downloads data from his/her wireless device, appropriate units of usage are deducted from the subscriber's monthly wireless plan.
To initially purchase a bundle of wireless services, a subscriber typically visits a physical location, calls customer support, and/or visits a website operated by the wireless service provider or a third party. The subscriber then selects a bundle of usage appropriate for his/her needs. The amount of usage is credited to the subscriber's account and the wireless service is made available for use by the subscriber. In order to purchase additional usage or change his/her monthly wireless plan, the subscriber can again visit the physical location, call customer support, and/or visit a website operated by the wireless service provider or third party. However, visiting a physical location or calling customer support to purchase additional usage is time consuming for the subscriber and not available at any time. Using a website to purchase additional usage requires that the subscriber recalls or searches for the address of the website and navigates through a series of webpages.
Currently, many wireless devices use applications specific to the operating system of the wireless device to perform a multitude of tasks, such as playing games, editing documents, checking email, and purchasing goods and/or services. Such applications are readily accessible on home pages of the wireless devices and enable a user of the wireless device to quickly perform popular functionalities. For example, the user can quickly purchase a good and/or service of interest by using a particular merchant's mobile application.
Therefore, to improve a wireless subscriber's experience in tracking and purchasing wireless services, a new wireless account management application for a wireless device is needed.